It's easy to see why. The 2013-14 NFL season isn't even over yet, and draft season is already under way in earnest.

The first big signpost on the road to May's NFL draft was Saturday's East-West Shrine Game, which the East won 23-13.

The game is secondary to the week of practice that precedes it, where youngsters from around the nation show off their skills in front of NFL scouts and coaches.

However, that doesn't mean that the game is meaningless. After all, it offers players a chance to make one last good (or bad) impression on scouts before draft season continues on to next week's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

With that in mind, let's see how Saturday's contest impacted the draft stock of some of the players involved.

Stock Down: Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch was ridiculously productive in 2013, riding more than 2,800 passing yards and 1,900 rushing yards to a third-place finish in voting for the Heisman trophy.

However, whether it's his size (6'1"), arm strength or the level of opposition he faced in the Mid-American Conference, there are plenty of questions surrounding his viability as a passer at the next level.

I've met with a few scouts that really love me at quarterback. There are some that like me as a special-teams player, some running back, receiver or safety. I'm a quarterback first, and I'm going to give the teams that want me at quarterback a shot first, but I'm realistic. If it doesn't work, I'd be willing to do anything.

That attitude may serve Lynch well, because his performance in the Shrine Game didn't.

He struggled in a big way at Tropicana Field, completing only two passes in seven attempts.

Well, he completed two more, but those were to the other team.

Bleacher Report NFL national lead writer Michael Schottey didn't mince words, although he did at least try to find a silver lining:

Jordan Lynch has been terrible today, but a lot of time between now and the draft for final pronouncements.

Stock Up: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois

The Shrine Game wasn't all bad for quarterbacks from the state of Illinois.

While Lynch struggled, Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois thrived. The 6'3", 222-pounder, who has drawn comparisons to former Eastern Illinois star Tony Romo, was the most effective quarterback on either side in Saturday's game.

For the afternoon, he went 9-of-14 for 100 yards and a touchdown, including a great two-minute drill at the end of the first half that resulted in a scoring strike with eight seconds left.

That showing and the Offensive Player of the Game award was the icing on a solid week of cake for Garoppolo.

Seantavius Jones of Valdosta State stood out, literally, as he's head and shoulders taller than most of the receivers and defensive backs in Tampa, Fla. Jones has great movement for a player his size (listed at 6'3", 200) and catches the ball well away from his frame.

However, he pulled a vanishing act in the game, managing only one catch for minus-1 yards. Combined with drop issues, his game left Dane Brugler of CBS Sports unimpressed:

I saw a polished passer who may have been the most pro-ready prospect in a group that included Cornell QB Jeff Mathews and Northern Illinois Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch. Wenning looked decisive, with excellent footwork and overall mechanics. The ball goes where he wants it to go, and it's consistent in terms of placement at all levels of the field.